The Equestrian Civil War

Another warm spring morning. The chill of winter had just barely faded into a mere memory. The landscape flourished... flowers blooming, trees leafing, birds chirping amongst the foliage and overhead, while a number of curious critters watched this gathering from the underbrush around the nearby river. It had been less than a week since the declaration of war was made and our demands put forth to the Royalty. Their response was made quite clear when agents under the employ of Duchess Equity reported several regiments of Royal Guard had set out from Canterlot towards Marelin and other large fiefs. A call to arms was promptly sent to all the outlying Lords and Ladies and, naturally, I set out with as many ponies as I could muster.

To call them soldiers would be... the worst of overstatements anypony could ever make. As expected, none had ever seen conflict beyond a petty personal squabble. And whilst I had recovered some fine military manuals from my estate's library, there was only so much that could be taught in a month. Even then nothing would compensate for the experience. Not to put myself above them at all, no; I knew I was just as poorly versed in matters of war and warfare as any of them were. They knew this and some took comfort in that fact. Others found it even more demoralizing. Still, I stood alongside my ponies on the field this day, determined to involve myself directly and command with competence... or at least learn how to do so.

The only other pony who seemed to share my sentiment in this regard was the Duchess of Marelin herself, standing at the head of her levy. She kept cool as she watched the progress of the approaching Royal Guard closely. I made up our left flank alongside the militia sent by Hoofstein, commanded by a retainer of the aforementioned fief's Countess. The levy from Bitvaria made up our right, positioned next to the river which snaked its way through the valley and the center of the very city we meant to defend. As with Hoofstein, the Countess had sent one of her retainers to fight in her place, though at least in her case such was justified. The Countess of Bitvaria was rather weak and sickly.

With the heraldry pained onto shields and displayed by the tabards of the troops, and fluttering banners working alongside those to compliment the blooming landscape around us, it certainly was a colourful display we found ourselves putting on for our enemy. A part of me feared that was all it would be... then I reminded myself; these ponies were strangers to conflict, just as we were. We'd see how their discipline held up when it finally came to blows.

The Guard stopped, however; their commanding officer, an aging Pegasus, removing his helmet and stepping forward with a small entourage. Lady Equity and her retinue advanced in response, the two meeting in the middle of the field between our armies.

"By the order of Her Majesty, Princess Celestia, you are to disband your forces immediately. To surrender all your holdings, along with yourself to be tried for treason." The crown's puppet said, clear and concise, his voice raised slightly that the rest of us might hear him as well.

"Is that so?" Equity asked, casting a quick glance back at all of us gathered. "Tell Celestia if she wants me in irons, she can come chain me up herself." The Duchess said defiantly, turning from the Stallion and marching back to our lines. Her retainers kept a watchful eye on their lady and the Guard, ready to protect her with their lives if necessary.

The Guard Commander watched her for a moment, a scowl coming across his face shortly before he placed the helmet back on his head, withdrawing to his own lines. "Arms at the ready!" He exclaimed, a wall of shields and spears forming in front of us; whilst Pegasus lancers hovered in the air above, taking on a more defensive role than offensive. "Advance!"

With that, the seemingly impenetrable phalanx marched towards us, starting at a steady enough pace... which picked up when they realized we weren't firing on them. Looking to the Duchess, she nodded in my direction; signaling it was time we put out own plan into action.

I gestured for my ponies to start widening our formation, taking the bulk of my force and moving them as far to the left as I could. Meanwhile, the Hoofstein levy took their entire company to the left and forward. As anticipated, the lancers took note of our movement and recognized that we meant to surround them. Their advance slowed in response to this, the regiment changing formation. A square of spears and pikes formed, contrasting the more mobile wall they'd been using before.

So far, so good... next came the matter of distracting the Pegasi. We ordered the archers within each of our respective levies to let loose a volley, which they did with some success. This managed to scramble the Pegasi, who otherwise deftly avoided the projectiles. Taking this opportunity, we had our own Pegasi take flight. None were armed our outfitted anywhere near as well as the lancers they opposed, though this only gave them more of an advantage in terms of aerodynamics. Lightly armed and outfitted, our ponies took to harassing the airborne Royal Guard, who responded in turn with vain attempts to catch their rebellious brethren. All the while, ponies were sent back to the city proper to fetch the weapons which would aid us in breaking the defensive square formed by the Guard.

It was like watching a dance... seeing the Guard and Militia alike lash out at each other, only for one to swiftly dodge the attack of the other. I could only imagine how thrilling it was; and watching these ponies twist, turn, dive, and more with the great dexterity they displayed... it made me slightly envious I lacked the ability to experience what surely would have been a joy, had there been no threat of death.

Inevitably, blood was spilled, and by Celestia... nopony was prepared when it finally happened. A Lancer failed to recover properly after his charge was avoided; the pony from the Marelin Levy taking this opportunity to make her own attack. She ran her blade through his back, where his armour was weakest. Time itself seemed to slow at that point. It felt like eons passed, watching him plummet to the ground... if the steel hadn't killed him, then the fall certainly had. Everypony watched the scene in stunned silence, none having seen the life of another taken before; let alone by the hands of another pony. A mare beside me with a weak stomach couldn't handle the sight, releasing the contents of her stomach onto the grass in front of her. A mix of emotions surged through everypony present, and I could see the mare responsible for this, the first blood of the war, staring at her bloodied sword with a horrified expression.

"B-bastard!" One of the nearby Guardsponies shouted, charging toward the mare responsible for killing his comrade. She barely collected herself in time to weave around his attack; the Guard, in his blind rage, finding himself struck by an arrow through the throat.

Those who couldn't pull themselves together in time found themselves impaled on the lancers namesake weapons, the fortunate merely brushing with death. In either regard, it was still very much demoralizing to our ponies; who must have been thanking Celestia by the time the withdrawal was sounded. Archers on the ground kept all but the most enraged of Guardsponies from pursuing our Pegasi back to our lines, those ponies' lives ending rather abruptly.

The Marelin Levy's ranks broke as the Duchess' ballistae were brought forth, adjusted appropriately, and fired. By the time the Royal Guard realized what we were doing, it was too late. The steel-tipped bolts of the archaic siege weapons broke through their shields; penetrating two or three ponies before coming to a stop. The rank was broken; the leadership struggling to get them back into formation, whilst many were finding it difficult to deal with the fact friends and comrades they'd known for years were gone now. The harassment of our archers certainly wasn't helping them regroup either.

Using this chaos to our advantage, the Duchess gave her order. "Forward!" She exclaimed; her levy reluctantly charging forward.

The Hoofstein levy began to charge as well, my own the only which remained behind; along with the Bitvarians. It was at this point I realized I'd frozen; somepony from my retinue shaking me out of my stupor. "My lady...?" He inquired, his concern evident.

I turned to face my ponies, taking careful note of the expressions of as many individuals as I could. It was safe to say that most, if not all, were scared. Mortified by the death of others, and the idea that such could happen to themselves as well... I felt horrible, demanding they go forward and face this unwanted inevitability. It was far too late for any peaceful resolution now. I overcame my doubts, putting on a brave face for their sake and turning once more; drawing my sword and pointing it towards the broken square the Guards struggled to mend before the hordes of militia reached them. "Advance! The enemy may have Celestia on their side, but no matter; we have right on ours!" I shouted, my retinue bearing their weapons and cheering. Their enthusiasm spread slowly to the commoners, who cheered and shouted as they began to run forward. I hesitated for a moment, running alongside them once a dozen or so had already passed my staff and I.

This seemed like the longest run of my life, our destination seeming to stretch farther and farther away with every step closer. Somehow this seemed all the more unbearable rather than relieving. Every other sound was drowned out by the thumping of a hundred feet as they struck the ground, lifting up only to strike again a little further away from the last patch of earth. The Marelin and Hoofstein levies had already engaged the enemy, breaching the gaps which the Guard had failed to fill. My own levy neared a segment of the square left relatively untouched, the Crown's Soldiers too preoccupied holding off the Germanes to take note of us until we almost literally trampled over them.

Somepony to my left threw herself into a Guard's shield, attempting to tear it away from him that she might have nothing between her and the killing blow. Another to my right found himself impaled on a spear the lucky bastard of a Guardspony held up at the last moment. The sound of shouts, both enraged and agonized alike, mixed with the clashing of steel against steel. Many Guards had forsaken their Spears in favour of the sword, one such barely having had the chance to draw his before I brought my own down upon him. All around me I could see a number of ponies falling; dead, dying, injured... I had to give credit where credit was due, the Crown's puppets fought well. It seemed for every one of their own which fell, they took a number of ours as well. Not that I approved of this, seeing those I felt responsible for dying without the proper retribution being dealt unto our foes. This in mind, my fear began to give way to rage, rage which worked with the adrenaline pumping through me, strengthening my blows as I took the life of one Royal Guard after another.

The battle was decided, we were winning in spite of the casualties we'd sustained. The Guard began to give way, their Pegasi fleeing from the field; whilst their forces on the ground preformed a withdrawing action. In the midst of the carnage, I could see Equity engaged against several Guards, most of her retinue having fallen. She shouted orders, holding her own against the "professionals" who fought with the intent of killing her. One fell, then another, and another... All seemed well until the last, whom she'd knocked to the ground. The Guardspony took hold of a spear from a fallen comrade, thrusting it up towards the Duchess, penetrating her ribcage before she had a chance to deliver the final blow.

Equity fell back into the arms of one of her remaining retainers, another settling the score with the fallen Guard on behalf of his injured mistress. I saw the blow this had struck to morale, taking quick action as it seemed some were ready to bolt. "Stand your ground! I'm still alive! For Luna's sake, stand your ground!" I shouted in a bid to be heard over the chaos, attempting to rally the ponies around me. A wounded Guardspony took my moment of distraction as an opportunity, slashing at me, the attack damn near meeting its mark. I stepped to the side, the Pegasus stumbling over the bodies, joining them soon after as I drove my blade through him.

Seeing no possible way in which to win this, the Guard Commander ordered a withdrawal; his troops bolting and leaving the day to us. Those who weren't fast enough either fought back in vain, paying for this decision with their lives, or surrendered themselves as prisoners of war. A cheer rose among the Mares and Stallions of our collected levies while they watched the remaining Royal Guard flee. I, myself, was overjoyed with the prospect of victory... my joy giving way to grim contemplation as I looked down and around at what seemed to be a horrifically costly victory.

Most everypony had returned to Marelin, the wounded being tended to at the local hospitals, whilst a select few volunteered to remain in the field and count the dead, along with recovering any injured we might have otherwise missed. I found myself in Equity's chambers, her personal physicians tending to her; cleaning the wound she'd sustained before administering healing potions. Even still, she'd be bedridden until the threat of infection had passed, and the restored tissue had a chance to strengthen properly.

Once the matter of her health had been tended to, she dismissed the doctors and attendants for the moment, leaving the two of us alone in her room. She looked out the window, the sun having peaked in the sky, signifying it was midday. It felt like days had passed since the engagement not a few hours behind us now, however.

"It certainly wasn't what I was expecting..." She began after a few minutes of silence, looking to me with a remorseful expression. "I imagined it would've be worse than that, by leaps and bounds." She said with a smile, trying to bring a bit of light to the situation.

I honestly wished I could see it so as well. I broke contact for a moment before looking back at her. "Even still... it's an experience I don't fancy repeating." I said, well aware that it was a matter of necessity rather than preference.

"I can relate." She said, thinking for a moment before carrying on. "Even so; if this is the way it must be, then let it be so. We'll grow used to it, as will they... whether for better or worse, I can't honestly tell. I wouldn't waste my time mourning the fallen until there's time to do so. And there'll be plenty of time when our enemies lie defeated and this nation made whole again. Until such a time, all we can do is learn from them; to keep their sacrifice in mind, to take their dedication to heart and improve ourselves as leaders. That we may be worthy of seeing such brave ponies through this anarchy. Don't be afraid to take risks, my friend. Just bear in mind that their lives are in your hands, and they'll be forever stained with their blood should you act recklessly and without compassion towards them." She said, her eyes glazed with tears as she took her own words to heart, reflecting on the recent battle and its costliness. "A part of me wishes I would have died out there... alongside them. Heroic sacrifices make for good poetry, however, and that's all. I suppose..."

Before she could continue, we heard a knock on the door. Equity took a deep breath, not too fond of our being disturbed. "Enter." She said with a mildly disgruntled tone.

One of her servants opened the door with an open letter in hand. "A message from the Duke of Sacramaneto, my lady;" He said with a bow, explaining his intrusion.

"Continue." Equity said, her tone much more even than before.

"His city is under siege by the Duchess of Vanhoover. He requests your immediate assistance." The butler summarized, giving his lady a moment to ponder.

She looked to me after her moment of contemplation. "Fräulein August; would you lead my army in my absence?" She asked, much to my surprise.

I'd been standing there, listening to her words attentively before we were interrupted. I took what she said to heart and gave deep consideration to everything said up until this point. My attention found itself diverted to her as the question was put forth. "I... it would be an honour, your Grace." I said, bowing my head respectfully. Doubts ate away at the back of my mind; questions I couldn't answer. Possibilities existed which frightened me, and I was finding them difficult to overcome without some greater distraction to drawn my attention away from the issue.

"Excellent, feel free to leave at your discretion. I bid you a fond farewell and wish you the best of luck, both in battle and your travels." She said, smiling confidently. "You show a lot of promise, friend. I'll pray for your safe return."

I nodded, thanking the Duchess for her kind words and dismissing myself from the room. I proceeded through the halls of the estate, a great deal weighing down on my mind. What would this make of the nation? Of its ponies? Of... myself? No answer was definite this early, a frustrating fact I forced myself to accept. For now, however; I resolved to bathe, rest, and recover myself in the wake of all which had happened today. Luna knows I earned it... and how long it would be before I could enjoy such relative peace.